Azarenka reaches Brisbane quarters

Victoria Azarenka of Belarus reacts after winning the first set in her second-round match against Sabine Lisicki of Germany during the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, yesterday. - AP

BRISBANE, Australia (AP):

Top-ranked Victoria Azarenka opened her 2013 season with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Germany's Sabine Lisicki yesterday to join No. 3 Serena Williams and fourth-seeded Angelique Kerber in the Brisbane International quarter-finals.

Azarenka, who won here in 2009 without dropping a set, got the better of 37th-ranked Lisicki in a match containing nine breaks of serve.

The Belarusian won the Sydney International and then her first major at the Australian Open last year during a 26-match winning streak to start the season and spent most of 2012 atop the women's rankings.

She said her focus ahead of her first major title defence was more about attacking than defending.

"I actually don't really look at defending anything. I'm just looking to win," Azarenka said. "I'm going to have the same mindset for as long as I'm playing."

In earlier second-round matches, Angelique Kerber recovered from 5-2 down in the deciding tiebreaker to beat Puerto Rican qualifier Monica Puig, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7) and Sloane Stephens had a 6-3, 6-4 win over Sweden's Sofia Arvidsson to set up a quarter-final against fellow American Williams.

Azarenka said Lisicki, who was serving at up to 194 kph (121 mph), proved a tough match and a good measure of her preparations for the Australian Open, which starts on January 14.

She said Lisicki was "serving some bombs," although the German player was only getting half of her first serves into play and had five double faults. Lisicki mixed 36 winners with 36 unforced errors, trying to push Azarenka around the court.

Anticipating challenge

She'll next play Kazakh qualifier Ksenia Pervak, who has ousted former No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki and Urszula Radwanska in Brisbane in matches decided by third-set tiebreakers.

"I hope she's tired," Azarenka joked. "She's a young girl with a lot of potential. She's going to be really motivated. I'm looking forward to the challenge."